BOUNTIFUL, Utah, March 5, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Bountiful police said Tuesday morning that a report of an attempted abduction reported by a junior high school girl on Monday afternoon has been determined to be false.
According to a Bountiful Police Department news release Monday, the incident was reported to have occurred near South Davis Junior High School, at 350 W. 2600 South, at 3:05 p.m., as the girl was walking from school to her pick-up location.
The girl told authorities she was approached by an older man who said he was there to pick her up because her father was unavailable.
“When the victim did not cooperate, the suspect grabbed her and detained her, but was interrupted by other students in the area and then released her,” the initial news release stated.
The girl also gave a detailed description of the suspect, and said he fled on foot.
Tuesday morning, Bountiful police released the following statement:
“During the investigation of an attempted abduction reported on 3-4-19, it became apparent that the complainant’s statements were not consistent with the information obtained as part of the investigation. When confronted about the inconsistencies, the complainant recanted her statements.
“We appreciate the assistance of the media, Davis School District and the community with bringing this investigation to a swift conclusion.”
Officials said the girl may be facing a misdemeanor charge of false reporting, which would be heard in juvenile court.
